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Friday September 12, 2008

MCMC should not have blocked website, say Netizens

By FLORENCE A. SAMYand M. KRISHNAMOORTHY


PETALING JAYA: The Cabinet’s decision to order the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to reinstate access to blocked websites including Malaysia Today has received the thumbs up from various groups.

However, bloggers maintained that the initial ban was “ridiculous” and should not have been imposed in the first place.

Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin said he was not surprised at the “flip flop decision” and considered the whole situation ridiculous.

He said he would leave the old website as it was and those wanting access to his website could continue doing so at http://mt.m2day.org/2008, which was set up after his initial www.malaysia-today.net website was blocked.

Blogger Ahirudin Attan, also known as Rocky (http://rockybru.blogspot.com), said the lifting of the ban was great news but that MCMC should be asked to explain why it blocked access in the first place.

“It goes against the Government’s promise not to censor websites. The Government must renew its pledge and ensure this does not happen again,” said Ahirudin, who called for the firewall on his blog to be removed by a media organisation.

Another blogger Oon Yeoh said reinstating access was a necessary move to “prevent a bad precedent from being set as justification for future crackdowns.”

He said it was not necessary to ban websites, as there were enough laws to deal with libel and sedition.

Lawyer Sonya Liew said one should be careful when making statements online as action could still be taken under the present laws — the Sedition Act, the Defamation Act, the Penal Code and even the Communications and Multimedia Act, especially Section 233.

“The Acts are in place to safeguard individuals from harassment, including online, and to also ensure the country’s stability,” said Liew, who advises on information technology.

“Do we want more freedom of speech and less safeguards, or vice versa?

“The Internet encourages freedom of speech, but where do we draw the line?

“The Government must find a way to deal with this.”

MCMC Chief Operating Officer Sharil Tarmizi said the blocking of websites was a temporary measure to halt, and immediately redress, any wrong or seditious postings while it proceed with investigations.

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